Direct-Drive-Audiometry and Direct-Drive-ABR – new subjective and objective audiologic measurements for Vibroplasty-patients

Introduction Preoperative Direct-Drive-Simulation (DDS) simulates the sound of “Vibroplasty-Hearing” to vibroplasty-candidates. The direct-drive-pure-tone-audiometry (DD-PTA), direct-drive-speech-audiometry (DD-SA) and direct-drive-ABR (DD-ABR) as further developments of the DDS are new audiometric tools. This study shows the first results of vibroplasty-candidates and attempts to proof the reliability of the DDS even in case of mixed and conductive hearing loss.

Material und Methods 15 vibroplasty-candidates performed DDS, DD-PTA, DD-SA and DD-ABR. Candidates suffered from mixed, conductive or sensorineural hearing loss. The Results were compared with the results of standard audiometry. DD-ABR thresholds were related to DD-PTA thresholds. DD-PTA and DD-SA were performed with and without masking in 10 cases.

Results The DD-PTA threshold was close to the air conduction threshold of standard audiometry and congruent to the speech recognition threshold of DD-SA (50% numbers). DD-ABR threshold lay approximately 10dB higher than DD-PTA threshold. DD-PTA and DD-SA where independent from masking.

Discussion Congruent results in DD-PTA, DD-SA and DD-ABR in patients with different hearing loss show the reliability of the new audiometric tools, which before was only shown in normal hearing listeners. The DD-ABR threshold proofs, that DDS is possible even in case of conductive or mixed hearing loss. To our knowledge, these audiometric measurements are the first masking-independent audiometric tools. Further research will show how far these new measurements have predictive value concerning the hearing results of vibroplasty candidates.

Poster-PDF A-1506.PDF

Publication History

Article published online:
10 June 2020